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Good morning, The Woodlands.
Nearly $610,000 was raised at one gala in September, and it points toward a place where adults with autism can live. Over on Sawdust Road, a husband and wife have been cooking from scratch since 2024. Different sizes, same idea: neighbors building something and sticking with it. It is a mild, cloudy Friday, so go see what is being built near you.
Glad you’re here,
—Erika & Mike
🗞 In this issue…
🍽️ Chef-Prepared Meals Without Gluten or Seed Oils, Ready to Grab on Sawdust Road
🎗️ Project Beacon's Fall Gala Raised Nearly $610,000, More Than Double Last Year
☁️ Mostly cloudy · 80°F / 63°F
Mild and cloudy for the last Friday of October, a good day for a Waterway walk.
Source: Vaisala Xweather
Chef-Prepared Meals Without Gluten or Seed Oils, Ready to Grab on Sawdust Road
Eat This Fast & Fresh, founded in 2024 by husband and wife Chris and Nezi Whiteman, serves chef-prepared meals at 442 Sawdust Road. Owner Nezi Whiteman said the kitchen is completely gluten- and seed-oil-free.
The menu includes Southwest Sizzle Steak, Loaded Baked Potato, Loaded Meatloaf and Grilled Chicken Curry & Sweet Potato, plus salads like the Better Caesar and Better Cobb. Everything is made from scratch in a kitchen behind the counter and packed in fully compostable containers. "We have a little bit for everyone," Whiteman said.
Customers can grab meals to go, pre-order for pickup or delivery, or find vending machines in offices, apartments and gyms. Eat This also does catering and meal planning, and was named a finalist in the meal prep category of the Houston's Best awards.
Why it matters: For a household cooking around a dietary rule, a ready-made option built around it can take some of the guesswork out of a busy week.
Source/Credits: Community Impact
Project Beacon's Fall Gala Raised Nearly $610,000, More Than Double Last Year
Project Beacon's signature fundraiser, Beacon at the Blue Magnolia: A Southern Evening of Music & Meaning, brought nearly 300 guests to Blue Magnolia Events Center on Sept. 25. The community more than doubled last year's gala results, raising nearly $610,000 for the nonprofit, which serves adults with autism and other neurodiversities.
The money points toward Project Beacon's next step: an integrated residential community built around the model of its Beacon Access Center in Oak Ridge North, so adults could take part in daytime programs and ultimately make a home there. The organization says Montgomery County has 53,000 adults living with autism and related developmental disabilities, and that many families face aging caregivers and few residential options.
Waste Connections was the presenting sponsor. Nashville country act The Dryes performed, including Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" on the day Montgomery County had proclaimed Dolly Parton Day.
Why it matters: The fundraising is only the first step. The goal is a place to live, which the organization says is the gap many local families worry about as caregivers age.
Source/Credits: Project Beacon via Hello Woodlands
Friday, October 30
🗓️ SpookTacular (also Oct. 31) | The Woodlands Children's Museum | 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. | Adults $10, children 1 to 13 $12, under 1 $6 | More info
🗓️ Sarah Kelly Music School Halloween Performance | Live on the Lawn, Market Street | 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. | Free | More info
Saturday, October 31
🗓️ Montgomery County Heart Walk | Northshore Park, 2505 Lake Woodlands Dr | 8:00 a.m. | Free, donations welcome | More info
🗓️ Gymboween Portraits, Meowgic Photo by Plouvier Art | Gymboree Play & Music The Woodlands | 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. | Essential $39, Standard $49, Premium $69 | Book here
🗓️ Treetop Trick-or-Treat | 6464 Creekside Forest Dr | 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. to noon | $50 per person | More info
🗓️ The Woodlands Pride Festival | 2099 Lake Robbins Dr | 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. | Free | More info
🗓️ SpookTacular, day two | The Woodlands Children's Museum | 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | Adults $10, children 1 to 13 $12, under 1 $6 | More info
🗓️ MercyMe in Concert | The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion | 7:00 p.m. | Varies | More info
Sunday, November 1
🗓️ Dia de los Fieles Difuntos | Cantona Homestead, 24706 FM 2978, Tomball | 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. | Free parking | More info
🗓️ Fifth Annual Pumpkin Smash, The Woodlands Township | Sterling Ridge Park and Ride, 8001 McBeth Way | 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. | Free | More info
Saturday, November 7
🗓️ Grand Trolley Reveal, The Woodlands Township | Town Center Trolley boarding point, south edge of the Pavilion | 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. | Price not stated | More info
Note: Dates and times are as announced online. Organizers may make changes. Always confirm before heading out.
🌳 Woodlands Trivia
Landscape architect Ian McHarg's team of geologists, hydrologists and designers began the ecological analysis of The Woodlands in 1970. The natural drainage system they designed to limit runoff proved more cost-effective than conventional curb and gutter drainage.
🤠 Talkin' Texan
"Fix to." Translation: about to do something. As in, "I'm fix to head to the store." Perfectly standard Texas English, and a reliable signal to anyone from elsewhere that they are not in Ohio.
🚿 Shower Thought
You are always the oldest you have ever been, and also the youngest you will ever be again.
😂 Dad Joke
Why did the teddy bear say no to dessert? She was already stuffed.
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